Sandy Hook

Sandy Hook
JFK International Airport in New York City
Sandy Hook
Coordinates: 40°27′11″N 73°59′42″W / 40.4530°N 73.9950°W / 40.4530; -73.9950
Location	Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Offshore water bodies	Atlantic Ocean (to the east) Shrewsbury River (to the west)
Age	Last Glacial Maximum ("LGM"; ≈25,000 years old)
Formed by	Wisconsin glaciation period
Operator	National Park Service
Area
• Total	2,044 acres (827 ha)
Dimensions
• Length	6 miles (9.7 km)
• Width	0.1 to 1.0 mile (0.16 to 1.61 km)
• Depth	250 to 300 feet (76 to 91 m)[1]
Elevation	2 m (7 ft) [2]
Designation	Barrier spit

Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States.^[3] The barrier spit, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) in length and varying from 0.1 to 1.0 mile (0.16 to 1.61 km) wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern entrance of Lower New York Bay south of New York City, protecting it from the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

The Dutch called the area "Sant Hoek", with the

Most of Sandy Hook is owned and managed by the National Park Service as the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area.

Description

Sandy Hook is part of Middletown Township, although not contiguous with the rest of the Township. Because the peninsula is also federal enclave, Middletown and the federal government have a Concurrent jurisdiction. The community of Highlands overlooks the southern part of the hook.

Sandy Hook is owned by the federal government. Most of it is managed by the

Within Sandy Hook some laws and regulations are different. Sandy Hook falls under Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as well as New Jersey State Code in instances where federal laws do not pertain. In Sandy Hook a misdemeanor could be a federal crime while outside the park it would be a minor infraction.^{[citation needed]}

Accommodations near Sandy Hook include

The northern tip of Sandy Hook is the traditional finish of the 16.1 mile Ederle-Burke Swim, which runs from the Battery at the tip of Manhattan Island through the Narrows and into Lower New York Bay. The first successful swim occurred in 1913, when New York lifeguard Alfred Brown came ashore in 13 hours, 38 minutes. As a prelude to her English Channel triumph, Gertrude Ederle swam the same course in 1925, finishing in 7 hours, 11 minutes.^{[citation needed]}

Transportation

The road that connects to Sandy Hook is

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sandy Hook has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average temperature > 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), at least four months with an average temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), at least one month with an average temperature ≥ 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days feature slight-to-moderate humidity and a cooling afternoon sea breeze in Sandy Hook, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > 105 °F (41 °C). Since 1981, the highest air temperature was 99.7 °F (37.6 °C) on August 9, 2001, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 78.0 °F (25.6 °C) on July 19, 2019. The average wettest month is July which correlates with the peak in thunderstorm activity.

Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 5.61 inches (142 mm) on August 27, 2011. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is 6.3 °F (−14.3 °C).^[13] Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was −3.0 °F (−19.4 °C) on January 21, 1985. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < −3 °F (−19 °C). The average seasonal (Nov-Apr) snowfall total is between 18 inches (46 cm) and 24 inches (61 cm), and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology

According to the

• 
  Sandy Hook Light
• 
  Lightship

  #51 at Sandy Hook as it appeared in the 1890s.
• 
  Aiming a 14-inch gun at the Sandy Hook Proving Ground
• 
  20-inch Rodman gun with shells
• 
  Abandoned gun platforms of the Sandy Hook Proving Ground
• 
  Part of a mortar battery installation near Sandy Hook Light
• 
  Among the many beaches on Sandy Hook,

  clothing optional

  .

See also

• Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
• Fort Hancock, New Jersey
• Gateway National Recreation Area
• Sandy Hook Light
• Sandy Hook Pilots
• Sandy Hook Proving Ground
• The Leander affair

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandy Hook (New Jersey).

• Sandy Hook Visitor Information
• National Park Service Gateway National Recreation Area
• Nike Missile Site NY-56 Archived May 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine